A dust storm has covered much of Israel with a thin coating of orange sand for the second time in a month on Saturday, as the Health Ministry and Environmental Protection Ministry issued a warning for increased air pollution as a result.
In the joint statement issued by the ministries, they warned of high air pollution levels specifically in the areas of Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Jordan Valley, and the eastern and northern Negev.
The ministries added that in other areas there is still a moderate increase in air pollution.
The reason for the increased pollution, they said, is wind coming from an easterly direction, bringing a dust storm from Jordan into Israel. However, a gradual improvement in air quality is expected towards the end of the day on Saturday.
As a result of the dust storm, sensitive populations such as heart patients, lung patients, children, elderly people and pregnant women, have been advised to stay inside and avoid doing any strenuous physical activity outdoors. For the general population, advice was issued to reduce the amount of physical activity done outdoors.